News:

"There is a terrible desperation to the increasingly pathetic rationalizations from the climate denial camp. This comes as no surprise if you take the long view; every single undone paradigm in history has died kicking and screaming, and our current petroleum paradigm 🐉🦕🦖 is no different. The trick here is trying to figure out how we all make it to the new ⚡ paradigm without dying ☠️ right along with the old one, kicking, screaming or otherwise." - William Rivers Pitt

I am really worried. I have to cut up TWO Avocados to add to my salad for today's Potlatch Ceremony here at Diner HQ! I could be maimed for life! Should I risk cutting up the Avocados or leave them out of the salad? :icon_scratch:

(NBC News) Once shunned for its high fat content, the avocado is now revered in kitchens across america for its amazing heart healthy benefits, but the guacamole-starter’s place in the spotlight may be spoiling.

Just ask anyone who’s tried to cut open the green fruit, and ended up slicing right through their hand instead.

One problem is this big slippery pit in the middle. People tend to use a big knife to whack it out of there.

It’s been reported that one plastic surgeon in the United Kingdom suggested the problem is so bad that avocados should come with warning labels.

We couldn’t find a doctor willing to go quite that far, but they offered a few safety tips instead.

First, don’t hold anything you’re trying to cut. Place it on a cutting board.

If you must hold it, put a folded towel between the fruit and your hand.

Second, sharpen your knives.

“A very sharp knife is actually safer,” Dr. Waters explains. “It’s more accurate and you’re able to do what you need to do. It’s actually the dull knives that lead to injuries.”

The potential for long term injury is real. Deep cuts to nerves or tendons can take weeks to months to heal.

Well, it's never happened to me. :laugh: The deal with aguacates is to JUST NOT put a lot of pressure on the knife after you get through the thin, but tough, outer skin. The inside before the pip is so soft that you just go all the way around and have two slices lickity split!

The pip just pops out. Also, I use a spoon to get as much of the meat out as possible.

By the way, the fruit in the picture looks like it was a bit green. The "meat" can be quite tough when they are not ripe. In that situation, a cut might result from trying to wedge the pip out with a knife instead of using a spoon or your finger.

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Leges Sine Moribus VanaeFaith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

It’s not just your imagination. Today’s tomatoes simply don’t taste the way they used to, and now science has told us why. Researchers working on a study published in the journal Science performed exhaustive taste tests of 100 tomato varieties and sequenced the genomes of nearly 400 varieties. They were able to identify 23 volatile compounds that give a tomato its flavor. Unfortunately, many of those compounds, plus essential sugars, are missing from today’s supermarket tomatoes -- they were inadvertently lost when the industry sought to maximize yields and improve tomatoes' resistance to pests and disease.Better tomatoes on the way?

•“The flavor got lost because people didn’t know what the molecular and genetic bases were, so they couldn’t apply them,” said study author Antonio Granell.

•Major seed producers are expected to use this new genetic information to make seeds that will grow into new, tastier tomatoes -- possibly within four years.

•Harry Klee, professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida, also accused supermarkets of ruining the taste of tomatoes by chilling them at low temperatures, which adversely affects the flavor.

What thistle is purple in color, part of the sunflower family, and is eaten as a vegetable?

Purple of Romagna Artichoke: Italian heirloom favored by chefs for its tenderness and unique nutty taste

Agelbert NOTE: The creator's fibonacci footprint can be clearly seen in the artichoke.

How to Grow Artichokes

SNIPPET:

Interesting Facts About Artichokes

Native to the Mediterranean region, artichokes (Cynara scolymus) became scarce with the fall of the Roman Empire. After making a comeback in Italy in the 1500s, artichokes were introduced to the Americas by French and Spanish gardeners. California is the biggest producer of artichokes in the U.S. Other interesting facts about artichokes are:1

Although commonly referred to as a vegetable, artichokes are actually a thistle that is part of the sunflower family

Artichokes can be grown as either a perennial or an annual; perennial artichoke plants last up to five years

When you let their buds open and flower, artichokes produce striking bluish-purple flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies

Types of ArtichokesArtichokes come in several varieties, including:2,3

Agelbert NOTE: I found the info in this article very valuable. It is rock solid and backed up with the latest studies. Boosting mitochondrial function is exactly what the ketogenic diet does. Please read the whole thing and watch the video. It will do you good.

What You Really Need to Know About Heart Disease and Its TreatmentDecember 24, 2017

Story at-a-glance

֍ Recent research shows stents do not improve angina, thereby negating the sole remaining medical indication for angioplasty or the placement of a stent to unblock a blocked artery

֍ The largest study done on heart attack incidence revealed only 41 percent of people who have a heart attack actually have a blocked artery. Of those, 50 percent of the blockages occurred after the heart attack. This means at least 80 percent of heart attacks are not associated with blocked arteries at all

֍ Three primary causes of heart attacks are decreased parasympathetic tone followed by sympathetic nervous system activation, lack of microcirculation and lactic acid buildup in the heart muscle

SNIPPPET 1:

High Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Attacks

As noted by Cowan, many cardiologists would probably answer that question saying the underlying problem is high cholesterol. Alas, the evidence does not support this position either. “I actually looked up four papers, [one] in JAMA, three in The Lancet, showing that life expectancy tends to increase as cholesterol goes up, and that there is no relationship between high cholesterol and death,” Cowan says.

SNIPPET 2:

The Role of Mitochondria in Heart Attacks

Another area of concern is your mitochondria. Unfortunately, this is an area that conventional cardiology is still largely unfamiliar with. In essence, angina is a symptom of poor mitochondrial function, causing a buildup of lactic acid that triggers cramps and pain. When this pain and cramping occurs in your heart, it’s called angina. The lactic acid buildup also restricts blood flow and makes the tissue more toxic.

When a cramp occurs in your leg, you stop moving it, which allows some of the lactic acid to drain off. But your heart cannot stop, so the glycolytic fermentation continues, and the lactic acid continues to build up, eventually interfering with the ability of calcium to get into the muscle. This in turn renders the muscle — in this case your heart — unable to contract, which is exactly what you see on a stress echo or a nuclear thallium scan.

“You see a dyskinetic or an akinetic muscle, which means it doesn't move, because the calcium can't get into the cells because the tissue has become too acidic,” Cowan explains. “Eventually, the acidosis continues, and that becomes the cause of necrosis of the tissue, which is what we call a heart attack …

By the way … [the] dyskinetic area … the part of the heart that's not moving, creates pressure … in the artery embedded in that part of the heart, which causes clots to break off. That explains why you get clots forming after the heart attack, not before. This lactic acidosis buildup is one of the key events, without which you won't have angina, and you won't have the progression to necrosis.

Those are the three [primary causes of heart attacks]: The autonomic nervous system, the microcirculation and lactic acid buildup. Luckily, there are safe, nontoxic, effective ways to address each of those, either individually or together.”

Agelbert NOTE: I found the info in this article very valuable. It is rock solid and backed up with the latest studies. Boosting mitochondrial function is exactly what the ketogenic diet does. Please read the whole thing and watch the video. It will do you good.

What You Really Need to Know About Heart Disease and Its TreatmentDecember 24, 2017

Story at-a-glance

֍ Recent research shows stents do not improve angina, thereby negating the sole remaining medical indication for angioplasty or the placement of a stent to unblock a blocked artery

֍ The largest study done on heart attack incidence revealed only 41 percent of people who have a heart attack actually have a blocked artery. Of those, 50 percent of the blockages occurred after the heart attack. This means at least 80 percent of heart attacks are not associated with blocked arteries at all

֍ Three primary causes of heart attacks are decreased parasympathetic tone followed by sympathetic nervous system activation, lack of microcirculation and lactic acid buildup in the heart muscle

SNIPPPET 1:

High Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Attacks

As noted by Cowan, many cardiologists would probably answer that question saying the underlying problem is high cholesterol. Alas, the evidence does not support this position either. “I actually looked up four papers, [one] in JAMA, three in The Lancet, showing that life expectancy tends to increase as cholesterol goes up, and that there is no relationship between high cholesterol and death,” Cowan says.

SNIPPET 2:

The Role of Mitochondria in Heart Attacks

Another area of concern is your mitochondria. Unfortunately, this is an area that conventional cardiology is still largely unfamiliar with. In essence, angina is a symptom of poor mitochondrial function, causing a buildup of lactic acid that triggers cramps and pain. When this pain and cramping occurs in your heart, it’s called angina. The lactic acid buildup also restricts blood flow and makes the tissue more toxic.

When a cramp occurs in your leg, you stop moving it, which allows some of the lactic acid to drain off. But your heart cannot stop, so the glycolytic fermentation continues, and the lactic acid continues to build up, eventually interfering with the ability of calcium to get into the muscle. This in turn renders the muscle — in this case your heart — unable to contract, which is exactly what you see on a stress echo or a nuclear thallium scan.

“You see a dyskinetic or an akinetic muscle, which means it doesn't move, because the calcium can't get into the cells because the tissue has become too acidic,” Cowan explains. “Eventually, the acidosis continues, and that becomes the cause of necrosis of the tissue, which is what we call a heart attack …

By the way … [the] dyskinetic area … the part of the heart that's not moving, creates pressure … in the artery embedded in that part of the heart, which causes clots to break off. That explains why you get clots forming after the heart attack, not before. This lactic acidosis buildup is one of the key events, without which you won't have angina, and you won't have the progression to necrosis.

Those are the three [primary causes of heart attacks]: The autonomic nervous system, the microcirculation and lactic acid buildup. Luckily, there are safe, nontoxic, effective ways to address each of those, either individually or together.”

A blood vessel that is blocked to a large extent will obstruct the flood flow. A slowly closing narrowing will allow less and less blood to pass. This is known as “critical stenosis”, but in fact, this is not as critical as conventional medicine claims. Heart seizure and heart attacks are by no means an inevitable result. Why is this? The solution to the riddle is that the three coronary arteries are not isolated from one-another; they are not “end arteries” that are not connected with one another, but part of an extensive network of blood vessels that exist in all parts of the heart muscle. Furthermore, the body is capable of helping itself should there be a blockage of the blood flow or in the oxygen supply and it is able to extend this network in a substantial way.

Unlikely to work with so much dirt about. Potential for methanol poisoning.

This is interesting. Having lived many years in the tropics, I am familiar with banana plants and plantain plants used for various purposes besides fermenting or eating the fruit. You can chop the whole plant off just above the base of the trunk after you have harvested the fruit if you have a need for drinking water. You make a wide bowl shaped cut in the trunk base. You then allow it to fill with water from the roots. You scoop that water out. You allow the bowl to fill anoterh time. You scoop that water out too (the first two water products are too bitter tasting). The third time you can drink the water. The U.S. Marines recommended this for jungle survival during WWII.

I also noted the clever use of banana plant leaves by this fellow. Banana and plantain plant leaves are used to wrap "pasteles", a type of plantain starch meal flavored with chunks of pork, garbanzo beans (chick peas), capers and an olive here and there. Eating off the plantain leaf is quite enjoyable.

Back to fermentation of bananas for wine in the you posted, I was surprised to not see flies trying to get to the bananas prior to them being heated. In the tropics, flies are ubiquitous, as you know. The bamboo forest area in the video is apparently favored in not having pesky flies around.

Down in Puerto Rico they make a kind of moonshine ("pitorro") from fruit. However, they are not limited by one type of fruit. They will throw grapes, pieces of oranges (skin included!), bananas and even guavas (as long as the fruit has a reasonable amount of fructose in it, it is fermentally elgible) in a container for making the Puerto Rican verson of white lightinin'. Their methods are not primitive like in the video. They use distillation columns and such to get their product.

At any rate, thank you for posting something that contributes to our knowledge base.

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Leges Sine Moribus VanaeFaith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

Eating flowers seems almost heretical. If plants could talk, wouldn't they say, you can look, even sniff, but please don't chow down on my pretty petals? The dainty apple flower, after all, is what gives way to the fruit, and thus the seed, ensuring the cycle of life continues. Do you dare give into the temptation to pluck it for food?

Many a chef certainly has. But most folks are clueless to the vast array of edible flowers. Apple blossoms, for example, impart a delicate floral flavor to fruit salads, along with a heavenly aroma. With many herbs, the flowers taste just like the leaf—chive flowers are a colorful way to infuse salad dressing with a garlic flavor.

On the other hand, some flowers are technically edible, but unpleasantly acrid. Chrysanthemums, for example, or begonias. One reference describes the flavor of wax begonias as slightly bitter with "a hint of swamp."

A word of warning before we get on to our list of edibles: Exercise caution when using flowers in the kitchen; many are poisonous. Those daffodils in your perennial border could cause nausea, diarrhea, itchiness, stupor, convulsions or even death, depending on how much you eat. (In almost all cases it's not just the flower that's poisonous, it's the entire plant.) Below, you'll fine a list of safe-to-consume flowers that we think you'll enjoy, with a few thoughts on how to grow and use them. And if you're ever unsure, here's a list ofcommon poisonous ☠️ plants whose flowers you never want to ingest.

field marigold (Calendula arvensis)

CalendulaAnnual All Zones

In the Kitchen: These cheery flowers have a fairly neutral, nondescript flavor and are used to brighten-up both salads and sweets. Pastry chefs sometimes use Calendulas to make floral designs on cheesecakes and other goodies. Because the golden-orange petals hold their hue when cooked, they're sometimes used as a saffron substitute as well.

In the Garden: Calendula is easy to grow from seed, and often reseeds itself in the garden each year without any effort on the part of the gardener. Needs full sun and regular water.

orange or tawny daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

DaylilyPerennialZones 3 to 9

In the Kitchen: Most types of lilies are mildly toxic when consumed, but not daylilies. (Though botanically speaking, daylilies are not a true lily.) Daylily blossoms are meatier than most flower petals, with a succulent texture and a mildly sweet taste, similar to romaine lettuce. Chop them up and add them to salads, but be sure to sample the flavor first, as some daylily varieties taste better than others. Try stuffing them with herbed cheese or dipping the unopened flower buds in batter and frying them up as an hors d'oeuvre.

In the Garden: Daylilies are generally sold as a potted plant and are easy to grow in sun or part sun, as long as you provide ample moisture. In rich soil, they spread to form extensive colonies.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

DandelionPerennialZones 3 to 9

In the Kitchen: Adventurous foodies relish the bitter flavor of dandelion greens in salads and soups, though few realize the flowers are also edible. Use dandelion flowers exactly as you would calendula (a close botanical relative). The flavor is sweeter if picked immediately after the flowers open.

In the Garden: Dandelions can be found growing as a weed almost everywhere (lawns, sidewalk cracks, soccer fields), though you can purchase seeds if you want to establish a bed for culinary use. The plant needs full sun and is drought tolerant, once established.

elderberries (Sambucus berries )and their flowers

ElderberryZones 3 to 9

In the Kitchen: Elderberry flowers have a light, honey-like aroma and taste, and they're often used to flavor white wine, champagne, lemonade, iced tea, and other summery drinks. You can sprinkle the tiny individual flowers in salads, or fry the dome-shaped clusters whole to make elderberry fritters. Beware that elderberry foliage is mildly toxic, as is the uncooked fruit (the cooked fruit, however, is edible and delicious).

In the Garden: Elderberries are typically purchased as a potted plant, and are easy to grow in full sun or partial shade. Water frequently until established.

Borage ( Borago officinalis)

BorageAnnualAll Zones

In the Kitchen: Borage flowers have a mild, cucumber-esque flavor and are used to jazz-up salads, drinks, and savory dishes. The plant's electric-blue hue is a great compliment to calendula's golden tones, making for a photo-worthy plating.

In the Garden: Borage is easily grown from seed, and typically reseeds itself in the garden year after year. Drought tolerant.

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia Grosso)

LavenderZones 4 to 9

In the Kitchen: Lavender flowers have a unique, savory flavor with a hint of floral sweetness, and they're usually employed in summer drinks, ice cream, chocolate, and other sweets. Rub the flower buds between your fingers to separate the tiny individual flowers and sprinkle them into your dish.

In the Garden: Lavender is typically purchased as a potted plant. Grow it in a location with full sun and well-drained soil. Lavender is highly drought tolerant—once established, water only when the soil is bone dry.

Pansy (Viola tricolor)

PansyAnnualAll Zones

In the Kitchen: Pansies are one of the few flowers that come in every color of the rainbow. They have a mild, nondescript flavor and are used primarily for decorating salads and desserts. Use violets, a close relative of pansies, in the same way.

In the Garden: Pansies are typically grown from seed. They thrive in locations with rich, moist soil and part sun. Pansies suffer in the heat of summer, so they're primarily grown as spring and fall annuals.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

HibiscusHardiness Zone Varies by Species

In the Kitchen: Hibiscus flowers have a cranberry-like flavor with tropical notes. Though they're most often made into iced tea or infused into other cold drinks, chopped hibiscus flowers add a tangy spunk to salads and desserts.

In the Garden: There are numerous edible species of hibiscus, but it is the Jamaican species Hibiscus sabdariffa that is most known for its flavor. Hibiscus is typically purchased as a potted plant. Needs full sun and ample irrigation.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)

NasturtiumAnnualAll Zones

In the Kitchen: Nasturtium flowers have a peppery zest similar to watercress, to which the plant is closely related. They are primarily used in salads and as a garnish for hors d'oeuvres. Though the tubular flowers are large and sturdy enough to stuff with cheese or tapenade.

In the Garden: Nasturtium is easily grown from seed in partial shade or full sun, and often reseed themselves in the garden. Thrives in rich soil with regular irrigation.

Rose (Rosa rubiginosa)

RoseZones 3 to 10

In the Kitchen: Most people pick roses as a centerpiece for their table or to give as a symbol of their affection, but their culinary qualities are unsurpassed. Roses taste much like they smell, but with a slightly bitter undertone. Use in drinks, desserts, and salads, or make rose petal jam.

In the Garden: There are literally hundreds of rose varieties to choose from, some of which are much easier to grow and others. Iceberg roses and Knock Out roses are two of the most foolproof varieties. Roses thrive in a location with rich, well-drained soil and full sun. They require regular irrigation

Daylillies are known as the poor man's asparagus. A nice seasonal summer treat!

Cooking with wild edibles

Please Do Eat the Daylilies

Both the buds and the blossoms of daylilies are edible, a fact I regrettably learned only after I had dug out numerous flowering clusters encroaching on my lawn. But now I get a kick out of astonishing friends when I casually pluck a daylily "bean" from their backyard patch, and take a bite. Next thing you know, they're inviting me to gather a handful, which I'm happy to add to my next stir-fry. And they're happy to know that when the vivid flowers bloom, they will make a sweet-spicy bonus in the kitchen.

Daylilies are a common garden plant that have "gone wild." They're found throughout most parts of the United States from late spring through summer, often near sunny fields, roadsides and empty lots.

Buds are distinguished from the plant's non-edible fruits by their layered interiors. Choose smallish buds that are just beginning to open and cook them as you would beans: boil and serve them with butter or add chilled, tender-cooked buds to salads. Or, if you happen upon a spicy batch (they're typically mild-flavored, like beans or zucchini), stir-fry them with Asian flavors.

Daylily buds will keep in the refrigerator for several days, but the delicate flowers (trumpet-shaped blooms that grow in multiples on a leafless stalk) should be consumed the same day they are picked; they are very short-lived. You can add the petals to egg dishes, soups and salads, or dip whole flowers in batter and deep-fry them, as you would squash blossoms.

The four-leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common, three-leaved clover. The three-leaf clover or shamrock had been used by St. Patrick as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity. According to tradition, such leaves bring good luck to their finders, especially if found accidentally. In addition, each leaf is believed to represent something:

the first is for faith,

the second is for hope, the

third is for love,

and the fourth is for luck

Quote

It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover; however, this probability has not deterred collectors who have reached records as high as 160,000 four-leaf clovers.

Agelbert NOTE: When I was a kid in Kansas, I used to eat clover leaves and stems by the bunches. They have a nice sour pickly taste. I never did eat the flowers though. I figured if bees liked them, some small bugs might like them too and I would eat them by mistake. Bugs never were my thing.

The word "shamrock" is derived from the Irish word seamróg, which means "clover". White clover is the real Irish shamrock.

A lot of popular images you see for shamrocks show leaves that look more like our friend the wood sorrel, but clover is the real thing.

The binomial name for white clover is Trifolium repens. Red clover is Trifolium pratense.

All of those are Latin words. Trifolium means "three leaves", repens means "recent, sudden, or fresh", and pratense means "found in meadows."

The clovers are native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. They were introduced to the Americas by settlers. Clover is commonly used as fodder for livestock and is also a valuable soil builder.

The young leaves, taken before the plant flowers, can be eaten raw in salads. As the plant matures, cooking the leaves is recommended. The dried leaves are said to add a slightly vanilla-like flavor to baked goods. In my own experience with clover leaves, I found them to be rather bitter (maybe I picked them at the wrong time). I stick to the flowers.

The roots should be eaten cooked.

The flowers and seeds are the parts of the clover that are of greatest interest to most foragers. The flowers are used raw in salads as well as sauteed, stir-fried, or fried as fritters. They are also popular for making teas and wines.

Find Out Your 'Foodprint':New Website Helps You Shop, Cook and Eat More Sustainably

By Olivia Rosane

Oct. 18, 2018 12:12PM EST

Two days after World Food Day, an innovative nonprofit has launched a website to help you reduce the environmental impact of the food you eat.

FoodPrint, designed by GRACE Communications Foundation, was created to educate consumers about everything that goes into common food items, from farm to fridge, so that they can make sustainable choices.

"Your 'foodprint' is the result of all of everything it takes to get your food from the farm to your plate. Many of those processes are invisible to consumers," the website explains.

GRACE Communications Foundation is all about spreading awareness about the environmental and public health impacts of the industrial food system in order to promote more sustainable alternatives, and its latest venture offers all sorts of tips for food lovers looking for greener diets.

Here are some of the highlights ✨ of how you can shrink your foodprint at all stages of the meal prep process.

Shopping 🎍

֍ Look for Good Labels: The site offers guides by food type for which labels guarantee certain standards, which are less stringent and which are just marketing ploys. For produce, for example, USDA Organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamic are the best bets, while terms like "natural" or "pesticide free" are basically meaningless.

֍ Choose Low-Impact Foods: The Real Food Encyclopedia assesses the sustainability of more than 200 common foods, and also offers facts and cooking tips. In the U.S., wild rice is grown with water intensive methods in California, which is suffering from increasing drought. Barley, meanwhile, uses a relatively small amount of water and helps prevent erosion and weed growth.

֍ Eat Seasonably: The Seasonal Food Guide uses data from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state agricultural offices to offer the most comprehensive guide to what is in season in all 50 states.

Cooking 😋

1. Plan Ahead: The post "15 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste" offers helpful tips for planning meals to avoid throwing things away, from creating a menu based around ingredients you already have to making sure you don't buy more than you can use.

2. Use All of the Foods You Buy: The post "Cook Like a Chef to Reduce Food Waste" explains how cooks around the world have crafted recipes to use all of an ingredient, even when it's less than fresh. A tough rooster can be the base for a succulent coq au vin, broccoli leaves are delicious and stale bread can be turned into breadcrumbs.

3. Reduce Storage and Packaging Waste: From plastic shopping bags to disposable storage containers to paper napkins, there are a lot of non-food items that can get wasted in the kitchen. "Keeping Kitchen Waste to a Minimum" offers solutions like reusing plastic packaging containers as storage, washing and reusing free bags and heading to flea markets for cheap cloth napkins.

Dining Out 🧐

1. Support Sustainable Restaurants: Guides like Certified Green Restaurants or Zero FoodPrint can help you find restaurants that have committed to using sustainable food, reduced packaging and less water, among other concerns. The Restaurant Opportunities Center's National Diner's Guide can help you find places that have committed to paying their staff a living wage.2. Check the Menu: If a restaurant isn't certified, you can check the menu to see if it offers local, seasonal produce or is trying to serve asparagus in January in the Midwest.

3. Reduce Waste: If you are eating in or getting takeout, you can reduce food and packaging waste by sharing menu items, taking leftovers home and bringing your own reusable straws or drink containers.